Written By Peggy Welker
For many of us the beginning of the Missouri 2023 legislative session was promising. Conservatives had won a record number of Senate seats, (five in total) maintaining Republican super majorities in the state House and Senate. Bills were filed early addressing parental rights, vaccine mandates, protection from central bank digital currency, gene therapy (mRNA) labeling for our food and more. However, one by one, many bills were either sidelined or had toxic elements added, so that ultimately lobbyists funds prevailed over Missourians interests. For many of us it has felt like a roller coaster between hope and despair. Leaving us with questions like: Did we accomplish anything this legislative session? Are we out of options? Is our state lost to greed, power and godlessness?
The Opposition pushes back!
The mix of victory and ongoing struggle reminds me of how the Israelites must have felt just after their release from their slave masters in Egypt. In the Old Testament book of Exodus, through a series of sobering judgments, God saves the Israelites from 400 years of slavery. Shortly after the Israelite’s gained their freedom, Pharaoh regretted his decision, pursuing the Israelites with the full force of his best army and chariots. Exodus 14:10 “Pharaoh drew near… [the Israelites] became very frightened so the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. They said, ‘Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?”
Great Victory! God saved them! Despite this seemingly impossible situation, we all know how the story ends. God did the impossible, parting the Red Sea so that they passed safely through on land, then drowning their pursuers afterward. Although the process was filled with hardship and suffering, ultimately they were set free! God merely asked them to set an eternal remembrance. Remember His goodness and give God the glory. The Holy Spirit has been leading Pastor Ron and our congregation on a journey of awakening. On one hand, many are overwhelmed with the news of Christians and conservative Americans facing accusation and injustice, corrupt or passive politicians and moral decay. On another hand we do see some victories and evidence of spiritual awakening.
Below is a chart highlighting the outcome of the Missouri bills we followed and advocated because they reflected our biblical values. As you read the chart, prayerfully lift up our House and Senate representatives, with this prayer:
Father God, we ask that you forgive us our national and private sins and shortcomings and to enable us to perform our responsibilities with wisdom and Your Joy. We pray that a fear of You Lord would fall on all our legislators (House and Senate representatives) so that they make no war against Your Righteous Agenda in the Missouri legislature. (2 Chronicles 20:29). For any wrongdoers, we pray Your Light would shine in the darkest places and expose their illegal activities. We pray that You would hinder and prevent anything the unrighteous, tricky and “bought” politicians put their hand, that their plans would be frustrated, and they would go in circles. And we pray for You, as the great and fearful Judge, to soften our hearts to the pain and need of those around us. And may we remember and hide in our hearts Psalm 20:6 “You are the one that gives victory to Your anointed, You answer us from your heavenly sanctuary… for we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
How well did Missouri’s Legislature govern in righteousness?
Proverbs 29:2 “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan.”
Thanksgiving and Prayer! As Christians in a world growing darker by the minute, we can forget to pause and give God our thanks, gratitude and praise. The God of the Universe is moving in our country, our church and our families. He is moving in our hearts, softening us to the pain in others, creating a healing ministry for us. He is empowering us to push back against darkness in the civic arena and refreshing us with truth through wisdom from our own pastors and guest speakers alike. We are so very blessed!
President George Washington understood the importance of publicly proclaiming a dependence on God. He had a proclamation of Thanksgiving and prayer published in the Providence Journal on October 17, 1789, which read: WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor… rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country…”(wallbuilders.com/proclamation-thanksgiving-day-1789)
So, what happens when we experience powerful lobbyists and RINOs (Republicans-in-name-only) pushing tricky legislative language? Like the Israelites, I believe we are at a crossroads as Christians engaging in the world of politics, education, medical ethics, and artistic expression. Paul says in Romans 12:1-2 (Amplified) “offer your bodies (dedicating all of yourselves) as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship… being transformed and progressively changed.” In 1 Corinthians 12:24-25, Paul reminds us “God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it so that there should be no division in the body.” Let us use God’s gifts within us humbly alongside our fellow servants in this intense spiritual war. We must remember Jesus gives us what we need to push back against the darkness in this world. We must renew our strength and jump back into the fight, into the race, with endurance, patience and joy! We must remember that the Israelites did their part (they moved out of Egypt, they plundered their masters) but it was God’s supernatural intervention that truly saved them. He is the same God today!
I’d like to end with a word from one of our legislative teammates, Kate Sickles, to all those who are invested in pushing back on the social front:
“The legislative session has finished! I cannot thank [all those involved] for all the calls you made, the emails you sent, and the messages you left on voicemails. We were able to let our voices be heard while supporting some of the godly champions in the House and Senate. Thank you for faithfully and diligently heeding the call to pressure legislators to deliver godly bills to the Governor’s desk despite the pushback you may have received. As John Quincy Adams famously stated, Duty is ours, results belong to God.“